Our boolit trap.

[git_dr1]

My son and I finished our build and painted it this afternoon. I thought I would share the pictures that he took.
7960279604796057960679607

[crawfobj]

NICE work! I like that its portable. What materials did you use for the sides and pipe at the back? Is it open at the bottom to put a bucket under it?

[git_dr1]

Thanks.
The top, bottom and sides are made of 1/4 inch steel plate. The pipe is 3/4 inch thick with a diameter of 8 inches.
Yes, it is open for the boolits to fall into a bucket.

[WilliamDahl]

I think I would put some metal in front of those tires, JUST IN CASE... :)

[git_dr1]

:smile: Yes, I intended on welding guards on to protect them but ran out of material. I'll throw a couple blocks of wood in front of them for now when I get it put in its location.

[TXGunNut]

I like it. Just a thought; to avoid direct hits thru the center directly on the back wall of the pipe maybe a vertical piece of 90 degree steel to deflect boolits to the side wall or overlapping side walls. I understand that it will take quite a few hits to damage 3/4" pipe but I'm thinking you may want to patent this thing and market it for sustained use, preventing direct hits would extend useful life and safety, IMHO.

[WilliamDahl]

I like it. Just a thought; to avoid direct hits thru the center directly on the back wall of the pipe maybe a vertical piece of 90 degree steel to deflect boolits to the side wall or overlapping side walls. I understand that it will take quite a few hits to damage 3/4" pipe but I'm thinking you may want to patent this thing and market it for sustained use, preventing direct hits would extend useful life and safety, IMHO.

The way that I've seen it done before was to have the slot opening in the pipe oriented to the side so that when the bullet enters, it immediately starts to slide around the side before having to change direction.

[HighHook]

That is a really nice piece of work right there...

[dg31872]

I like it! Simple, durable, portable, and you don't have to dig out the slugs!

[git_dr1]

The way that I've seen it done before was to have the slot opening in the pipe oriented to the side so that when the bullet enters, it immediately starts to slide around the side before having to change direction.

That is how it is set up. You can see the pipe is off center in the back.

[MattOrgan]

git_dr1

Nice work, what are you shooting into your trap? Here's mine, I have 1/2 inch mild steel sides, 1/4 inch top and bottom, my pipe is a piece of an old oxygen cylinder.

[git_dr1]

MattOrgan thanks for sharing. Very cool!

I pretty much cast for everything I got. I've only fired a few 9mm into to try and it caught those fine.

I'll probably shy away from shooting any rifles with j-words. I don't know if they would but I really don't want to poke a hole in the sides.

[SSGOldfart]

sweet nice work;) if you don't mind me ask'n how much have you got into it???

[nekshot]

Very nice! I wonder how much lead you will retain with that set up? Every thing I have tried so far gets alot of lead that vaporizes and I don't retain as much as I think I should, or at least as much as I would like to. Let us know how efficient it is when you have a good idea on the amount of lead saved. I often thought of doing one like that in my barn.

[dbosman]

I like the fact that as you shoot, the target will move further away.

[MattOrgan]

The only thing in mine that isn't scrounged is the Harbor Freight trailer and the welding wire and rod. I got the trailer on sale + a 25% off coupon, I think the total for the trailer was about $110. Cylinders are usually free if you ask nice unless you are in an area that people are using them for bells......... My trap weighs 780 lbs less the trailer but tows nicely behind my ATV. Based on steel weight I'd guess you'd have $400 or $500 in materials to buy new.

As far as vaporizing lead it really doesn't . Linotype and heat treated WW shatters in the trap but most of it ends up in the catch bucket.. Softer bullets are just flattened. Lead smears in the "deceleration" tube which probably accounts for most of the loss. I'm guessing its 95+% "efficient". I change catch buckets depending on what I am shooting to keep my alloys seperate which is pretty cool.

git_dr1

I've shot FMJ .223 and .308 with 168 Matchkings at 25 yards with no problems as long as you are directly in line with the trap so the impact angle with the side plates is proper. If you get to one side or the other the and the angle is too steep and I've taken little divots from the wall. I've shot some 300 grain Linotype paper patched bullets from my .458 at 2400+ fps with no issues. .44 and .41 magnum jacketed are gobbled up.

I made a small test trap with a piece of schedule 40 3" pipe and 3/16 " sides. It gobbled .38 Special, .357 Magnum and .45 ACP cast and 9mm FMJ with no issues. The only issue was a .38 Wadcutter laying inside the trap. I now make my target backer of 1/2 " plywood to make sure nothing comes out of the trap at me. Please keep us updated.

[git_dr1]

sweet nice work if you don't mind me ask'n how much have you got into it???

Unfortunately I really can't give you an accurate cost to build as I was able to scrounge everything from scrap. My only cost was $10 in welding rod, $16 in wheels from Harbor Freight and $10 in paint.


I like the fact that as you shoot, the target will move further away.

Nothing a couple of blocks won't take care of. :smile:

MattOrgan, thanks for the info. I did find the 9mm cast from wdww left a white ring around the inside of the pipe and seemed to have shattered but still dropped into the bucket. I will be happy with 95% recovery. Sure beats 0% with ww getting harder to get.

[SSGOldfart]

scrounge everything is the best way that's how most of what I have has come about,from scrouging where abouts are you located? you got any pictures of building it? did you make a drawing before starting or just piece together as you went? I've got to make one myself [smilie=s::bigsmyl2:

[git_dr1]

SSGOldfart, we are up in Northwest PA. It never occurred to me that anyone would be interested in pictures of the build so unfortunatly I didn't take any.

I didn't do any calculations on the geometry and pretty much winged it based on similiar designs from this site.
If anyone is interested I can post dimensions of how this ended up.

We had a family gathering yesterday and it was used extensively. It worked well.

[Win94ae]

Great job!
I need to make myself one of those.

[762sultan]

I am in the process of building a safe backstop in my back yard and it is still in the design stage. This is perfect timing as I won't have to do more than build one like this ...design work already done. Thanks for posting these photos of this project...it looks safe as well as durable. I'm not sure I will put wheels on it as I plan to leave it in one spot. I'll post photos when completed.

[41 mag fan]

Same thing I got going...a portable boolit trap. Mine though will be made from wood. 3'dx4'wx4'h.
I'm going to mount it to an old trailer made from an axle i've had sitting here for the last 6 yrs doing nothing. Put a jack on it, and i can tow it around the property to shoot from 1' to 100yrds, just depends on my gun of the day.

[Artful]

That's a very good design and build - and I like it was a family project. 8-)
With the way the .Gov is coming down on "Toxic Lead" we may all wind up making one of these just so we can keep our lead to continue shooting it. :shock:

[steveo]

Nice work, I have been thinking about making one for myself

[SSGOldfart]

please do post the dimensions I'm going to try to copy it if I can stay under a grand with materails

[git_dr1]

SSGOldrfart, I was going to try to post a drawing showing dimensions but quickly found that my skills do not include drafting so I will try to explain how I assembled it.

Materials include:
4 pieces of 1/4 steel 2' x 3'
1 piece of 8 inch pipe 30" long.
4 pieces channel 10" long.
4 6" wheels from harbor freight.

First cut a 2" slot 2' long in the 8" pipe. Position the pipe on the floor aligning an inside edge with what would be the centerline of the trap. Set a piece of the 2'x3' steel to both edges of the slot and taper out to a 2' opening and tack to pipe. Then center a piece of the 2'x3' steel on top of the V maintaining the 2' square opening and tack. Roll the weldment over and repeat the previous step. Note: you will have to cut a radius to allow the last 2'x3' to edge up to the pipe and enclose the gap. While it is laying on its top I welded the channel in the 4 corners, drilled holes for 5/8 bolts and welded them in the holes to mount the wheels on.

In retrospect, the only thing I would change would be to make the top sheet of steel 2'x4. This would allow it to cover the top of the pipe rather than having to add an additional top on the pipe to finish enclosing.

Hope this is helpful.

[greenhornet-1]

Very nice. the guy that owns my LGS has ben asking me about building a trap. I was thinking along the same line but a little larger opening. Thanks for sharring!!

[SSGOldfart]

Thank git dr1 that's what I needed my helper is all fired up to weld this he's/were going to make two at the same time so we both have one[smilie=w: :bigsmyl2: If Ihave any problems I'll shoot you a PM thanks again

[GL49]

Great idea. I've already got the pipe and wheels that were throwaways at work, now I'll wait until they throw away some plates of steel. No more digging in the berms.